System of water regulation for flash-boilers.



PATENTED APR. 17, 1906v H. LEMP.

SYSTEM OF WATER REGULATION FOR FLASH BOILERS.

APPLIOATI'ON FILED JULY15|1901..

2 SHEIITSSHEET l.

\l\/E M BR He rm arm Le mp x B13; 21;

EEEE'JE- No. 818,382. PATENTED APR 1'7, 1906.

H. LEMP.

SYSTEM OF WATER REGULATION FOR FLASH BOILERS. APPLICATION FILED JULY15,1901L 2 SHEBTSSHEET 2v Hermann Lem Atty.

HERMANN LEMP, outrun,

ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL ELECTRlC COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK.

lviassacnusnrrs, ASSIGNOR, er MESNE A CORPORATiON SYSTEM.OF WATER REGU LATiO N FQR FLASH-@QELEH$.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 17., 1905.

Application filed July 15, 1901- Serial No. 63.348.

To all whom it may concern.-

' Be it known that zen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful 1m rovements in the System of Water Regulation for Flash-Boilers, of which the following[ is a s eciiication.

n or er to obtain the best results with fiashboilers, it is necessary to closely regulate the amount of water that is being continually supplied thereto. Boilers of this class have little or no storage-space for water and steam, so that as the demand for steam changes so 'must the supply of water.

The object of the present invention is to provide an' improved system of regulation for flash boilers whereby the necessary amount of water is automatically varied as the demand for steam changes, and this in a simple and reliable manner.

My invention will be described in connection with a system of regulation designed for an automobile, since it has great utility in that connection; but it is to be understood that the invention is applicable to other forms of apparatus.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of my improved water supply system. Fig. 2 is a slight modification of the arrangement of the pumps. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the power-pump and regulator. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the regulator; and Fig. 5 is a section thcreof, taken onthe line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to Fig. l, 1 represents an engine of any desired donstruction, and geared thereto by any suitable means, such as sprockets and chains, is a shaft 2, which carries an eccentric for actuating the automatic waterpump 3. Situated directly over the pump 3 is a second water-pump 4, which is actuated manually by means of the lever 5. The pumps are connected in series, and the delivery thereof is controlled by the pressurevalve 6, while the suction is controlled by the valve 7, Fig. 3, in the regulator 8. The wa ter-supplyis contained in the tank 9, and between the tank and the regulator 8 is a pipe 10 for conveying the water. The upper end of the pipe'where it opens into the tank is pro- LHERMANN LEMP, a citivided with a filter 11 to prevent impurities in the water from passing into the regulator and pumps. The boiler 12 is of the well known flash type and is heated in any suitable manner. In the present instance a fuelburner is shown for that purpose and consists of the vaporizer 13, the nozzle 14, and baiilc-plate 15, the latter being employed to distribute the flames over somewhat extended areas.

In describing this invention it has been assumed that the flame from the burner is sufiicient at all times to convert the water deliverecl by the pumps into steam. No means are shown for regulating the flame, as it forms no part of the present invention. The delivery end of the pumps is connected by a pipe 20 with one end of the boiler, and between the boiler and the pump is a connec tion 21, leading to the water-tan; 9. This connection contains a relief-valve 22, which is so arranged that when for any reason water in excess is delivered to the boiler it will be returned to the tank. It will also return. water to the tank when no steam is drawn from the boiler and the pressure thereof increases to an abnormal amount; but under ordinary conditions this valve is not used, for the regulator 8 insures the delivery of the proper amount of water. The steam end of the boileris connected to the engine by means of the pipe 2-3, and between the boiler and the engine is a throttlc-valve 24 for controlling the action of the engine. At a point between the boiler and the throttle-vane is a connection 25, leading to the regulatru' 8.

Referring to Fig. 3, the construction of the regulator will be described. The regulator consists of a casing 26, having an enlarged screw-threaded head 27. This head is 'i'irmly secured in place and furnishes a seat for the diaphragm 28. The latter is heldv in place by a screw threaded head 29, which head is provided with a screw-threaded opening to receive the steam pipe 25, and this opening communicates with the space between the head and the diaphragm, so that as the steampressure varies the diaphragm will be d effect-- ed to a greater or less extent from the central position. provided the spring-pressed plunger 30.

with a central opening to receive The latter The screw-threaded head 27 isi'nder 35 and a piston'36.

is provided with an enlarged and slightly- .rounded head, which engages with the diaphragm 28 and is moved upward or into,an 0 erative position thereby. Surrounding t e plunger is a coiled compression-spring 31, which. tends at all times to force the head of the plunger downward or against the diaphragm. The upper end of the re lator is provided with a suction-valve 7, w 'ch' consists of aflat-sided disk, having a guide-rod v 32 and a coiled compression-spring 33, which tends at all times to hold the valve in a closed position. This suction-valve controls the admission of Water from the ipe to the automatic water-pump 3 an also to the handpump 4. The spring-pressed plunger extends through a suitable packing-box 34 and .engages with the suction-valve 7. When the steam-pressure on the diaphragm is below a certain predetermined point, the suctionvalve 7 will be automatically seated and unseated during the operation of the pump or pumps to permit liquid toflow in one d1rec-J tion in the ordinary manner but as soon as the steam-pressure increases above that point the valve is raised and maintained in that position until the pressure has been reduced. The automatic water-pump consists of a cyl- This pump is of the single-acting type, and the delivery is re ulated by a sprin -pressed valve 37 The vadve is retained .in place by the screwthreade'd head 38. The mlet is a free passage and v is not controlled by a check-valve, as is the outlet-passage, for the reason that the suction-valve is included in the regulator, which may be detachably connected at anysuitable .point in the suction-pipe. This simplifies-- the pump construction and enables the regulator to be located at the most convenient point in the pi ing system of the automobile Without comp icating connections, which is an important matter in such apparatus. It

. will be noted that the regulator 1s a self-contained or unitary device, comprising a casing provlded with suitable coupllng connections or piping and including an'fautomatic valve and a pressure-diaphragm for rendering the valve lnoperative y holding it off its seat. The regulator may also under certain circumstances be used on deliveryside of the pump and, in fact, in an case where liquidis innk by a connection 39,

The two pumps deliver water'to the connection 20 to the boiler, as before, and the automatic pump has a pressure-valve 37 and is dependent on the regulator 8 for controlling the suction. The construction and arrange ment of the ump shown in Fig. 1 is simpler; but in' certain instances the multiple connec-v tion of Fig. 2 may be found to be more dcsirable.

Assuming that the apparatus is mounted on a vehicle and that a suitable fire is provided for heating the boiler, the lever 5 is given a few strokes, thereby causing the pump- 4 to deliver water to the boiler. As soon as this is done steam is enerated in the boiler and is admitted to t e engine through the throttle-valve 24. As soon as the en ine starts intoope'ration motion is imparte to the shaft 2, which drives the eccentric of the automatic pump 3. The pum 3 will now deliver the necessary amount 0 Water to the boiler. When a definite'increase in pressure on the boiler is reached, it will act upon' the diaphragm 28 and force the spring-pressed plunger 30 upward, so that it will raise the" suction-valve 7 from its seat. Under this condition the piston ofthe automatic pump 3 will run free and the water instead 0 bein forced into the boiler will be churned bac and forth. In other words, as the piston moves outward it will draw Water from the tank through the ipe. 10, and when it is forced inward it will return the water to the tank. By such an arrangement virtuall all of the load is removed from the agency w ich supplies power to the pump. The small amount of ower re uired to overcome the friction of t e water 1n the tubes and pump may be disregarded. As soon as the boilerpressure falls, thereby indicating that more,

water is needed, the diaphragm 28 will return to its normal position and permitthe suctionvalve 7 to seat. As soon as this is done the automatic water-pump 3 begins to deliver the necessary amount of 'water as before.

Since very little work is required in overcoming the friction in the tubes, the pump 3 can be made of a very large capacity, so as to deliver sufiicient water even when the vehicle is moving up a hill at a very low speed. On the other hand, if the vehicle is coasting at a high speed and practicall no water 1s required the'pump will mere y churn the water to and frowithout forcing an of it into the boiler. If at any time it shou d happen that the automatic pump is inca able of supplying the necessary amount 0 water, it 'canbe assisted by the hand-pump, and the action of these pumps'will be under the control of the re ulator.

n accordance with the'provisions of the patent statutes I have described the princi 1e of'o'perationof my invention, together with the apparatus which I'now consider to repreerases sent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to securelby Letters Patent of the United States, is 1. In combination, a pump, a tank containing liquid, a boiler supplied by the pump, and a device which normally acts as an automatic suction-valve for the pump and is adapted to be rendered inoperative by the steam-pressure of theboilcr when such pressure becomes abnormally great.

2. In combination, a pump, a tank containing liquid, a boiler supplied by the pump a single valve between 'thetank and the pump which automatically opens toward the latter, and means for holding the vaive open when. the steam-pressure on the boiler becomes excessive, and a conduit for conveying steam to said means.

3. In combination, a boiler, an engine, a pump driven from the engine, a spring-seated suction-valve located exterior to the pump structure, a, regulator which is. connected to the steam-pipe on the boiler, side of the throt tle and is .acted upon by the boiler-pressure, and means acted upon by the regulator for controlling the suction-valve of the pump.

4. In combination, a boiler, a source of water-supply, a pump having a fixed length of stroke, spring-seated suction and delivery valves for the pump, a connection extending between the pump and the source of supply in which the suction-valve is located, and a regulator also located in said connection which is acted upon by the boiler-pressure for raising the suction-valve of the pump when the boiler-pressure rises above a predetermined amount. I

5. In combination, a boiler, an engine, a pump driven thereby, a spring-seated suction-valve therefor, and a regulator comprising a spring-pressed plunger arranged to move into and out of engagement with the valve, and a diaphragm which is controlled by the steam-pressure of the boiler for actuating the plunger in a manner to raise the valve when the pressure increases to a cer tain point.

6. In combination, a boiler, a manuallyactuated pump, an automatically-actuated pump, both delivering water to the boiler, a controlling-valve which is common to both pumps, a device which is adapted to be acted upon by theboiler-pressure for opening the valve when the boiler-pressure rises above a certain point, and a casing separated from the pumps which contains the device and the controlling-valve.

7. In combination, a boiler, a manuallyactuated pump, an automatically-actuated pump, both delivering water-to the boiler, a

l l l l ward the cylinders, and a suction valve which is common to both pumps and is located on the inlet side of the automatically-actuated pump, a steam-actuated diaphragm operatively connected to the suction-valve and adapted to raise the same to relieve the automaticallyactuated pump of substantially all of its load, and a deliveryvalve which is also common to'the pumps and is located on the outlet side of the manually-actuated pump.

8. In combination, a manually-actuated piston, a power-piston, cylinders therefor, a valve in pipe in series with the cylinders, a the pipe adapted to open. automatically to diaphragm. which is acted upon by fluid-pressure for raising the valve from its seat when the pressure exceeds a certain point.

9. In combination, a pump hav' passage, a detachable conduit GOIKHQL with the pump and communicating with s passage, a check-valve in said'conduit, and an a free automatic regulator which renders the chec i valve inoperative.

10. In combination, a flash-boiler, a pump for supplying liquid thereto, a steam-actuated regulator for controlling the supply of liquid to the boiler, a connection between the regulator and the boiler,

said regulator comprising an automatic suction-valve, a pressure device adapted to act upon the valve, and a casing'containing the said device and valve. I

11.. In combination, a boiler, a liquid-corn T.

taining tank, a conduit between them, a power-pump in the conduit, a steamactu-- ated regulator between the pump and the tank, means between the power-pump and the boiler for supplying liquid to the latter, a steam-consumption device, a steam-supply conduit betweenthe boiler and the said de vice, and a connection between said latter conduit and the regulator. V

' 12. In combination, a boiler, a source of water-supply, a conduit connecting the two, two pumps included in the'conduit, a single automatically-actuated valve in the conduit on the suction side of the pumps, and a device controlled by the pressure of the boiler for holding the valve open when the steampressure reaches a predetermined point.

13. In combination, a boiler, an engine, a steam-supply conduit between them, a source of liquid-supply, a conduit connecting said source with the boiler, a powenpump included in said latter conduit which derives its power from the engine, means for supplying liquid to the boiler separately or in con junction with the pump, and means in the steam-supply conduit which is governed by the boiler-pressure for controlling the quantems, the combination of a casing having in.-'

assa es a seat for the valve a s rin for b l I let and outlet passages, and containing an In witness whereof I have hereunto set my I automaticallyactiiated valve between the hand this 12th day of July, 1901.

seating the valve, means which acts'upon the E i V HERMANN LEMP' valvenfor opening it against the tension of said spring, -and a steam-actuated diaphragm which operates sald means.

Witnesses: v ALEX. F. MACDONALD, DUGAL'D MOK. MCKILLO1?'. 

